Evans completes Bundesliga move

Everton Under-23s midfielder Antony Evans has joined SC Paderborn in a permanent transfer.

It emerged yesterday via The Times's northwest correspondent, Paul Joyce, that the Bundesliga side were interested in discussing pre-contract terms with the 21-year-old and those talks have been successfully concluded.

Evans was a regular for David Unsworth's U23s team but was out of contract with the Blues this summer.

He had loan spells at Morecambe and Blackpool in the last three years but failed to make the step up to the Everton first-team.

Reader Comments (32)

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Steve Ferns 1Posted
28/01/2020 at
20:27:48

I just commented on him! This is great news. German topflight could be very interesting for Antony. Fingers crossed. Defo worth a new one-year deal too.

The lad has a lot of talent. He might be 20, but he can still make it. He just needs this to come off and then maybe another loan next season and then he could make our first team.

What I like about him is he is a real bum-off-the-seat player. He's not lightning fast, like Gordon, but he's quick enough to beat a man. He seems both footed. He can go past a man left or right, he can play left side, right side, through the middle or up top. He is a decent height for someone who is essentially a winger. He has great quick feet, a bag full of tricks, great vision, can pass brilliantly, a great shot, can hit a great freekick. He goes missing though, and can be pushed out of games. But I honestly think he was going to make it and have no idea why he hasn't.

Fingers crossed and all the best if it comes off.

Mike Doyle 2Posted
28/01/2020 at
21:01:49

Steve I dont see much of the U23s, but in what I do see Antony usually looks one of the more impressive performers - with an impressive free kick in him. However hes been around for a while and never seems close to a 1st team squad call up. I wonder if hell prove to be another John Lundstram?

Keith Harrison 3Posted
28/01/2020 at
22:13:41

Seen the lad (on Efc tv) play a few times. Ian Bishop doppelganger, and is certainly worth a contract to me. A new 1 year contract and loan to Germany might be what he needs. Jonjoe has improved by it!

Si Cooper 4Posted
28/01/2020 at
22:29:02

Steve, whats great about this if you rate the lad?Looks like Paderborn want to sign him, not loan him otherwise there wouldnt be any need for pre-contract terms.

Steve Ferns 5Posted
28/01/2020 at
22:35:48

We can get him to sign a new deal and loan him to them instead Si. Otherwise, I would like to see the lad move on, his career has stalled and Anthony Gordon has gone past him (two years younger than him). No point in stunting the career of a good young player if the managers think he is not up to it. None of Koeman, Unsworth, Allardyce, Silva or Ancelotti have given even a spot on the bench, so as good as I and others think he is, the experts who see him up close don't agree with me.

Alan J Thompson 6Posted
29/01/2020 at
04:01:41

Why is it that German sides can see something in our juniors that Everton don't seem to see or is it that previous Managers have just been too frightened to give them a run. Having said that, didn't Germany decide a few years ago to give younger players a chance at national level which Southgate now seems to have adopted with England which only shows that some clubs are showing trust in their juniors rather than just loaning them out to see if somebody else can improve them.

Phil Smith 7Posted
29/01/2020 at
04:08:57

As you know Steve, I also rate him highly. I wondered why he wasn't in the squad the other day and thought it might be due to a loan chance. I hope that's what it is. We should defo keep him and loan him out. He is class. Still hope for him and Dowell that they'll make it, although looks increasingly likely it won't be with us. Shame.

Dave Williams 8Posted
29/01/2020 at
10:27:54

Its all about managers being unwilling to take a risk. Look how Gordon has been held back recently when we have been so short on players. If we get safe then hopefully Carlo will try a couple otherwise someone else will land themselves a potential first team player.

Tommy Carter 9Posted
29/01/2020 at
11:49:47

Ha. Cannot believe Dowell is getting a mention within this thread. Some Evertonians truly are deluded.

Lookman, as I predicted is struggling. These players are not kids. Dont let the lack of games fool you. These lads are 22 and showing no signs of doing anything this season.

Next season they will be 23. If they were to even kick in at that point it gives them a maximum of 7 seasons at their peak. In the case of Dowell, he got his opportunity at Everton 5 years ago.

Quite simple. Not good enough

Steve Ferns 10Posted
29/01/2020 at
11:56:57

Tommy, I have no idea why Dowell never progressed. He was exceptional at youth team and u23 level. He was our top scorer and best player three years ago when we won the league. He was the most creative player for England when we won the u20 World Cup. The lad has talent. He should have easily forged a good career in the top flight, without necessarily being a star. Theres still time, but its not going to happen with us and he will need to leave and work his way back up.

Brent Stephens 11Posted
29/01/2020 at
12:13:53

Steve #10 "Tommy, I have no idea why Dowell never progressed. He was exceptional at youth team and u23 level. [etc]".

Steve, I think this is a good example of why / how it's so difficult to make a prediction about current U23 players, in terms of their ability to step up to the first team. Like you, I wouldn't argue against "trying them out" but I'm wary about some (not your) offerings that they couldn't do any worse than x or y first team player.

Phil (Kelsall) Roberts 12Posted
29/01/2020 at
12:44:16

Kieran, I hope you are not reading this because you may well be like many who do not "make it".

I'll put it into context. I worked for 38 years for a major multinational and rose to a level of one grade below Senior Manager. In those 38 years I earned a tad more (and I do mean a tad) than a kid on £20 grand a week earns in a year. If at this tender age and having spent his life in U23s and loans to Championship clubs he has already earned more in his lifetime that did in my working lifetime. With all that dosh sloshing around - he probably has it all.

So the motivation is all about being the best. If that does not drive you then swan around in the lower leagues and more than comfortable lifestyle for the rest of your natural.

Would I hark back to the days of the maximum wage or pre-premiership? No. But today's kids who get through the cull at 18 of age at Premier League academies have it made and if they do not have the motivation, then they will fall away and we will all get frustrated with managers who let their "talent" go to waste.

As was put in a mail above "the tendency to get lost in a game". Yes, get you off your seat with a sublime piece of skill and get you off your seat with a stream of expletives when they didn't track the opposition player which resulted in them scoring. The latter will be more common than the former.

Phil Smith 13Posted
29/01/2020 at
14:05:34

Osman didn't break into our side until he was 23. Some players don't click into that final gear until a bit later. Evans is still 21 and a good loan might make him, like Tomori, Abrahams and Mount at Chelsea.

Steve Ferns 14Posted
29/01/2020 at
14:13:28

Phil, the thing with Osman though was injury. How long was he out for? Wasn't it something like 2 years? I recall he suffered a nasty injury, possibly a leg break, then it got infected and he was really setback. We kept him on despite this and his advancing age, and at the age of around 21 he was at Derby County where he had a great loan and used that as a spring board to the first team.

I would advocate keeping both Evans and Baningime who are around the same age Osman was when he went to Derby, and trying to get the same thing to happen again.

chris williams 15Posted
29/01/2020 at
14:18:13

Evans signed for SC Paderborn. Just announced

Richard Mason 16Posted
29/01/2020 at
14:27:16

I felt Evans had a great chance of making it with Everton.It seems there is going to be a massive shake up in the youth system. You can see already, Unsworth is playing the younger players since carlo came in.

Tommy Carter 17Posted
29/01/2020 at
15:50:45

@ Steve 14. You are spot on.

The Osman thing gets brought up all the time as some sort of justification for keeping players on our books well into their twenties.

A variety of things held Osman back, an horrific injury and also a severe lack of height and physical stature.

He went on to have a fine career, when given the chance.

Dowell hasnt had the injuries and physically he is tall and well built with it.

He has the ability to strike a ball incredibly well. He can execute difficult passes.

But beyond this, he is extremely limited. Particularly so with the most crucial and vital ingredient of all: determination.

What is he willing to give each day to be an Everton player, nowehere near enough. And not even a fraction of what Osman gave.

Robert Tressell 18Posted
29/01/2020 at
19:43:50

Hope he does well. Good standard of football. Would be pleased to see more young lads get experienced abroad rather than dip down the leagues. He didnt kick on at all at blackpool so far as I Can see

Paul Birmingham 19Posted
29/01/2020 at
21:50:31

Best of luck to Antony Evans, this move could be the making of him, and I really hope it works out for him.

It will be interesting to see how he fairs the next couple of years, and along with JJK, he could be the first of a few whom end up in the Bundesliga.

Right age, and for him the right time, and no regrets. It shows that with belief and ability, and hard work, what can be achieved.

Brent Stephens 20Posted
29/01/2020 at
21:58:46

A good player for the U23s. Often a stand-out player for them. A bit sorry he never got a decent chance to show what he could do for the first team. Best of luck, squire.

John Pierce 21Posted
29/01/2020 at
22:00:26

Steve, you are talking about the exception not the rule. Osman was lucky to be kept on. Most players who are going to make the grade as premier league footballer are already playing or well on their way. Im sure there are some examples which would counter that but they are the minority, in comparison to thousands that dont make it.

Keeping players beyond 20/21 is a cost to the business, and does them little good either. It sounds very harsh of me to say that but the u23 and academy systems sole purpose is to find a first team player. Many players know their level by this age, some do bloom late but come on, its a fairytale when they do.

The Stuart Pearces, Ian Wrights and Vardys of this world are once in a blue moon type stuff.

On the bright side the undisclosed fee has me thinking hes balanced out our FFP with player trading. 😆😆😆

Phill Thompson 22Posted
29/01/2020 at
22:46:08

A shrug and a wee tear from me. The shrug because this was becoming inevitable, there was something missing about his game, something that never quite clicked on a regular basis - even the Chelsea commentator last Friday mentioned it, talented beyond at times but never quite there. The wee tear comes from the sadness of him emerging as a 16 year old in preaseason all those years ago and scoring 4 or 5 goals for the u21s and I had him down as one of Robertos “ Golden Generation”. Im sure hell still score the odd stunning free kick or two, best of luck to him.

Nathan Ford 23Posted
29/01/2020 at
23:53:56

Hopefully we've accepted a very low fee with a possible sell on clause. Something like Robinson at Wigan. Hope he does well

Phil Smith 24Posted
30/01/2020 at
02:46:57

A little sad to see him go but, if he gets his chance there, Im excited for him. Could be a great opportunity. Good luck, lad.

Andrew Lum 25Posted
30/01/2020 at
04:36:17

All the best to Evans. Players with technical ability and skill tend to thrive in the Bundesliga.

Ajay Gopal 26Posted
30/01/2020 at
05:33:17

Nathan (23), I also noticed that Antonee Robinson is a target for AC Milan! Is that another one that we let slip? I know that a few of our American TWers (Mike Gaynes?) were beating his drum here a year or so ago. Given the poor form of Digne this year and Baines' inevitable decline, we seem to have dropped a clanger! (typical Everton style).

Mike Gaynes 27Posted
30/01/2020 at
06:37:29

Ajay, I was the drum-beater all right, and I am not the least bit surprised that Robinson has made a big step up for Wigan this season and has attracted the attention of a top club. I was stricken when we sold him.

I did see one report that if the deal to Milan goes through, we'll get a sell-on fee of £10m. Won't make me feel any better.

But as a Robinson fan I actually hope the deal doesn't go through. At Milan he'd be deputy to one of the best young left backs in the world, Theo Hernandez, and might find minutes hard to come by.

Michael Kenrick 28Posted
30/01/2020 at
09:53:41

Martin O'Connor has put up a (very long!) article on the topic of our Under-23s, which is well worth a read. The case of Antony Evans in particular exemplifies 'the problem' – if there really is one – in how Everton's young player assets are developed.

In his case, I'm curious also about the valuation and fee, which is very effectively undisclosed, as I can't find anything anywhere online. Even TransferMarkt are unable to give him any current market value. In the last 6 months of his contract, it can't have been a huge fee, but Martin claimed (in his original copy) that Evans went on a free transfer... that can't be right – can it?

Sam Hoare 29Posted
30/01/2020 at
10:15:16

Mike@27, I think the sell on fee was from the £10m, not the whole amount. I imagine it's 25% of the profit or something similar.

Shame we didn't keep him as I reckon he's a better bet than any of the other young left backs currently.

Kieran Kinsella 30Posted
30/01/2020 at
14:05:58

Bold move. In the old days English players rarely went abroad. That seems to have changed ironically as the Brexit takes ahold. Good luck to him

Peter Gorman 31Posted
30/01/2020 at
14:58:40

Evans had talent to burn at the age of 16 but as others noted, never seemed to kick on, though it doesn't appear to be lack of effort. Perhaps he lacks the physicality of the modern game - he didn't pull up any trees during his loan spells but any observer of the U23s games will know that he has talent.

Best of luck to him - he should have a very decent career in football so worth keeping an eye on.

Phil Smith 32Posted
02/02/2020 at
20:38:46

Place on the bench for him today but no game time yet, unsurprisingly.

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